Counter



ocr. 1o, 1933. J w CARLSQN 1,929,622

COUNTER Filed Nov. 12. 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. l0, 1933. J. w. cARLsoN 1,929,622

COUNTER Filed Nov. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 6.130 Q 13 @586- 74 13e I Z 0 3g 2z 126 mlgfnmm 9 115? -9`100 8 11W/@fian- Ja/w Ma/Sofa Oct. l0, 1933. 1I w. CARLSON 1,929,622

COUNTER Filed NOV. l2, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 jig@ 14g g 142 10Q .f 120 82 f Patented Oct. 10, 1933 1,929,622 n Y COUNTER -Jomi w. Carlsen, chicago, nl.,` signor of `mimv half toHerbert R. HedmarnChicago, Ill. v

Application November l2, 19,28 f Serial No. 318,305 v K claim. (ci. 2x5-'1137) f My invention relates'generally izo-improvements in `counters or odometers, -and more particularly toimprovements in transferring and resetting mechanism for devices of this class.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved counter which is compact and in which the transfer mechanism lies entirelyw'ithln and between the numeral wheels. 1

`A further object is to provide a counten 'or numbering device which has improved resetting means. v

A further Objectis to provide acounterhaving an improved transfer or carry-over mechanism which is positive in operation` f A further object is toprovidejan'improved counter having double lock means tok insure against overthrow in transferring or carrying operations. 1 -Afurther object is lto provide improved latch` ing means for aligning the number wheels. 'l A further object is to provide 'a device o! the above-mentioned'class that is simple in construction, positive Vin operation, and mayA be economically manufactured. u l 'Y Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description, reference being 'had to theaccompanying drawings in which f Fig..` 1 is a'view in perspective of the counter;

Fig.' 2 is a right side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 isa longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line 34-3 ot'Flg. 2; 1v

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional theline4-4ofFig.3; q r Y x Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 ofFig.3; Fig. 6 is a similarview `on theline of Fig. 3, showing the parts in a transferring operation; ,.Fig. 7 is a view similar'tofFig. 6, showingthe parts in the positions taken after completion of the transferring operation;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical on the line 8-f8 oLFg- 3; Fig. 9 is ,a similarview on 3?"and" f' Y Fig.- 10 is a perspective View of anumeral wheel unit and cam mounted on the main shaft,` the shaft -being Vshown in cross-section'.

Referring to Fig. 1V` of the drawings, I have illustrated an embodimentof my invention which 'comprises vgenerally'a case 12, an actuating handle 14, a resetlev'er 16 and a base 18.l @The case has sight apertures 20 formed in line with `and above the-indicia on wheels 22. These apertures may be formed "atl anyL desiredpositlon around the periphery of the case. 1

View on sectional view 1 The actuating handle 14 is mounted upon a sleeve 26 whichis .rotatably carried by the main shaft 24,` the hub' of/ the handle being split and being'clamped to the sleeve by a screw 28. AThe sleevez26passe's through an openingg30 in the 60 end wall 36 of lthe case and is formedintegrally with a squared portion 32 and a ratchet-wheel 34.v I The end wall 36 is threaded into the .case 12-at the right end thereof and is locked against rei movalbyasmall screw 38. i Y

Mounted on the `shaft 24 inside the case isa series o! number or counter. wheels, 7indicated generallyas 22, the unita-tens, hundreds, thousands, and ten thousands "wheels being designatedby the reference characters 40, 42, 44, 46and48, 'Ip respectively. It will be understood that any number of numeral wheels may be usedi to make the counter of any desiredicapacity.

The units wheel actuating means will now be described. `Mounted on the'squared portion 32 'l5 of the sleeve 26 is ailat disc50 having a notch like recess `52 in its periphery. i f A torsion spring r5,4 is 'pivotally mounted on a rod"56 which is rigidly secured in the caseand extends from end to end-thereof;v Abail 58 hav- 80 ing arms 60 and a cross bar 62'is also pivotally mounted on said rod and has anaperture 64 to receive one end 66 o'theltorsion spring 54. The opposite end of the spring is curled to jformv an eyev 68 which lies inthe recess 52. s.

l A screw 72 threaded in the end wall 36 hasits inner endI projecting into an arcuate *slot v'10 formed `in the disc50iand1thus limitsthe oscillatoryfmovementof the disc 50 andfhence the arc of movement Vor the handle-114. An antifric- 9o tion washer '742 is interposed` between the 4end wall BGLandthe member 50, and aids in retaining theend 68 of the spring 54 intherecess 52. j. g

fThe ratchet-wheel 34fcooperateswith Va `pawl 76 (see Fig. 5)' which ispivotally mounted ron the 95 units wheel 40,'the pawl belngheldiagalnst the face of aratchet-w'heelby a spring 'i8 carried by a screw 80 mounted-ion the wheel 40. The ratchetswheel 34 has tenv teeth` and as the actuating handle is oscillated'within,thelimits defined-by 100 the screw 72, theratchetgwill carry the` units wheel one-tenth of a revolution or 36 degrees and bring the next number on'the numeralwheel 40 intofregisteringlpositionwith the apertures 20.

-The units [wheel 40has on its opposite sidean 105 annular flange 82. An opening 82.-is provided therein having `astraight side and an arcuate side 8'7. A roller 84 which lhas a peripheral Vgroove 86 is confined by the` s idesoivthe` opening as, am is. radially movable, being normally, nel@ no inwardly Vby a small spring 88, one end of which is secured to the flange 82 of the units wheel 40. The roller 84 is held in contact with the face of a cam 90 which is non-rotatably mounted upon the flattened portion 92 of the main shaft 24, and has a hump 94. This hump 94 has a more or less gradual rise on the right side (Fig. 6) and an abrupt fall. .The purpose to be fulfilled is that the carn roller 84 may easily ride up the rise of the cam when the numeral wheel 42 is rotating in a counterclockwise direction to attain the fiat upper surface and continuing in that direction will rapidly drop down the fall. The fall of the cam as shown to the left side of vthe hump 94 is given a curvature with a radius equal to that of From this it may be seen that the roller 84 canV only move over the hump 94 of the cam 90 while the numeral wheel` 42 is rotating relative to the cam in a counterclockwise direction, but when it is rotated in a clockwise direction ythe roller 84 will be heldby the fall of the cam. This stopping action is utilized in the resetting of .the counter to the position. A pin.96 is freely reciprocable in hole 97 drilled through the hump 94. 'An arcuate groove 100 is formed in the side of the numeral wheel 40 in position so that it may receive the end Vof the pin 96.

Each of the numeral Awheels 22 is provided at its outer periphery at 102 witha series of ten notches 104.' Mounted on the transverse rod 56 and in alignment with the notches 104 are detent pawls 106 having ears 108; Springs 110 extend to ears 112on the bail 58 and tend normally to keep the detent pawls engaged with the notches 104,\to aid in alignment of the wheels and to tend to prevent overthrow. j

The tens numeral wheel 42 and the other higher order numeral wheels-are vmountedfor rotation upon vcollars 114 on the main shaft 24 and are substantially similar to numeral wheel 40, except that on their right sides (Figs. 3, 6 and 7) each Vhas a series of arcuate notches 116 in alignment with the rollers 84 of the next lower order numeral wheel, and each also has a series of depressions 118 arranged to register with the left-hand ends of the pins 96 carried by the cams .90.' The last numeral wheel is identical except for its left-hand side.

Since the highest order numeral wheel need not initiate a transfer operation, it is not pro'- vided with a roller 84 and'associated parts, and a cam'90 is unnecessary. Instead, the last numeral wheel 48 has a notch 121 in its left side. A resetting pawl 120 is non-rotatably mounted upon the flattened portion 92 of the shaft 24 between the left side of the counter wheel 48 and an Vantifriction washer-'122 whichv is positioned adjacent the left end wall 124 of the case 12.

The resetting leverr 16 is non-rotatably mountedat the end of the flattened portion 92 of the shaft 24,`being detachably secured thereto by a thumb screw 126. The reset lever 16 has a plunger 128 which has an enlarged portion 130 and a handle 132. Theend of the plunger 128 is adapted to enter a hole 136 in the side wall 124 when the lever is in normalvposition and be held therein by a spring 134. f

v.The operation of my improved counter is as follows: Y y v l `The handle or'lever 14 may be oscillated manually or maybe connected bya suitable'link with a moving part, the number of operations of which are to be counted. Upon the forward stroke of the operating handle through the arc limited by the screw '72 and slot 70, the end 68 of the spring 54 is cammed to the right (Fig. 4) by the edge of the recess 52, thus tending to move the bail 58 upwardly, thereby increasing slightly the pressure of the pawls 106 upon the notched portion 102.

During this forward movement of the handle the sleeve 26 and ratchet-wheel 34 are rotated counterclockwise (Fig. and through the pawl '76 4the units numeral wheel 40 is also rotated counterclockwise-through an angle of 36 degrees. Since the indicia of each of the numeral Wheels are spaced at intervals of 36 degrees about the peripheral face thereof, such movement will advance the numeral wheel so that the next higher numeralwill be visible through the aperture 20.

The handle, the sleeve and other parts associated therewith are returned to normal position by the contraction of the torsion spring 54, the return movement being of course limited by the abutment of the end of the slot '70 with the screw 72. lDuring this return movement the pawl '76 slides over a tooth of the ratchet-wheel 34. During the movement of the units numeral wheel the pawl 106 i associated therewith is cammed out of its notch 104 and upon completion of the forward movement enters the next adjacent notch so as to hold the numeral Wheel in actuated position.

The transferring operation is as follows:

Assuming that the units wheel has advanced to register 9 and that the remaining wheels stand at 0, upon the forward actuation of the operating handle 14, the roller 84 associated with the units numeral wheel will ride upwardlyron the convex face of thehump 94 of the cam .90 to the position in which it is shown in Figs. 3, 6 and l0. In this position `the roller will be forced against the tension of its spring 88 into one of the arcuate notches 116, thus coupling the units wheel to the tens wheel. This coupling is maintained while the units wheel moves from the 9 to the l0'position; that is, through an angle of approximately 36 degrees, thereby to advance the tens wheel from 0 to 1. During the latter part of this movement the roller 84 will be forced inwardly along the concave decline of the hump` 94 andv out of the notch 116 in the tens Wheel.` .l f

All ofthe numeral wheels are normally locked to their associated cams! 90 by means of the pins 96 and therefore the tens Wheelmust be released to permit the transfer operation. This is accomplished in the following manner: y

VThe ,arcuate groove 100 of theunits numeral wheel 40 lies adjacent the pin 96 associated with the ,lowesty order cam 90 when the units numeral A wheel is effecting a transfer to thetens wheel. The pin'. 96 may thus b'e'cammed to the right (Fig. 3) out of the depression 118 in the tens wheels and thereby permitrotation ofthe latter wheel ,together with the units numeral wheel 40. As the units numeral wheel ycompletes thetransferring operation, the pin 96 lis cammed out of the groove 100 and movedtothe left into the next depression v118 in the ytens wheel, Ithereby again rigidlyjlocking the tens wheel against movement relative -to its cam.

. The transfer from the tens to the hundreds and between Y'all the vother higher orders is effected in a similar manner. y' Y M g When it is desired to reset `the counter, the

, y plunger 128 is removed from the hole 136` and the resetting lever rotated clockwise (Figsjl and =9),

thus rotating the shaft 24, the cams 99 rand the resetting pawl 120. 'As the cams 'are' rotated the numeral ,Wheels which'happen to be locked` .to thev cams by means of their pins 96 will beV roL tated with the cams. When, however, the `units numeral wheel passes fr'om"9 to OY its groove 100'pe'rmits the pin 96 adjacent thereto to move into the grooveI and thus release the tens wheel 4for movementV relative to the .adjacent cam 90. The cam will then rotaterelative tothe tens wheel untilA the Vhump on the cam picks up, the wheel through engagementof ythe concave'face of the hump 94 with the roller 84. The Aroller 84 is thus forced against the concave'side 8'1 of the f openingB in the flange 82 and `forms a` coupling rbetween the cam and the numeral wheel 42. 'Thereafter the tens numeralfwheel will continue tobe rotated by the cam until it reaches the 0 positionwhen the pin associated with the hundreds numeralv wheel Will be cammed to the right to permitthe cam vto rotate relative'to the hundreds wheel until its roller 84is` picked up" by the hump 94 of' its associatedcam as previously `described. TheV thousands numeral wheel 46 Y i will be reset in the samemanner.

, .From the above description it will be apparent thatin order toreset the counter having a number such as 1258, jthe resetting lever must be rotated four complete Vturns in order to allow the cams to pick up each ofthe four number Wheels. It is believed clear that the first numberA wheel picked lup by the cam is the units number wheel, and it isv `rotated through 'a sufficient turn to Abring the ""0 number to an lupper, position, at which time its groove permits the. pin adjacent to be moved thereinto, thus releasing the tens wheel for rotary movement from whatever number` it is set until the 0 number thereon reaches'an upper position in alignment with the 0 number on the units number Wheel. A third rotation ofl the resetting lever in a similar manner brings the 0 on the hundredths number wheel into alignment with the zeros upon both the tens and units number wheels, and a fourth rotation of the resetting lever brings the 0 on the thousandths number wheel into alignment'with the 0 on other wheels. It is of course understood that ,to `set a number such as 1258, the units number wheel will be rotated four times.

My invention further contemplates the omission of the pins 96 which comprise an overthrow preventing mechanism. By the omission of the pins96, the resetting of my improved device is simplified, and is accomplished as follows: The resetting lever isl rotated clockwise, thus rotating the Vshaft 24, the cams 90 `and the resetting 65' pawl 120 (for the ten thousandths numeral wheel) As the cams are rotated, the hump on each vcam associated with a'number wheel will pick up the roller 84, pressing it against the concave portion 87 of its respective numeral wheel.

with respect to the numbers on each numeral wheel in exactly the same place on each numeral Wheel, the numeral wheels will be picked up from Y whatever `position they are in and withinone` complete turn, each numeral wheel will have its numbers lining up with the numbers on each ad- ,factured Due to the fact that the roller 84 is positioned 5` so positioned with respect tothe cams and rollers that in a vertical'psitlon ofthe'lever a row of n @eros lwill appear through the" openings' 20 of the'housing, Thus, it can readily be seen that v onlya complete clearing of the machine will allow the reset* leverltolbe locked'into position and allow' the' machine to bein an operative position. Since` re isno cam and roller associated with the 'highestI order numeral wheel' 48, separate meanslmustfbe provided to return this Wheel to T0, position.'QIhis'fmeans'comprises the reset pawl '120,'the endof which is resiliently pressed against the left-handside of "the numeral Vwheel 48 'and' as the pawlfisrotated clockwiseY (Fig. 9) theend will engage inthe notch 121 of `the wheel and rotateffitV to 0 position., Thus'it will be seen 'that all of the numeral wheels, `including theglast 4numeral,wheel 48,'V can be returned to a vzero 'setting ,byonefcom'plete revolution4 yof' the reset lever by theromission of pins 96, or, if as shown in the drawings thevoverthrow .preventing pins areincluded inthe assembly, four complete turns of the resetting lever 14 are necessary to reset the machine. In realitynu`meral Wheel 48 will be reset four times during this operation'. i v

:During this resetting operation the -detent pawls 106 are resiliently heldagainst the notched portions 1020i rthe numeral wheels soas to provide a frictional dragtovinsurev the proper oper-` ation of :the resetting means. The pawls will also align the numeral Wheels 4in. exact 0 posi-r tion upon completion of the `resetting operation. l From the'above description it will be seen that I haveprovided an extremely compact counter, in which the transferring mechanism lies entirely within and betweenlthe 'numeral'wheelsf The transfer vmechanismis interlocked so that the numeral Wheels are held stationary except when .they are to be actuated, thus insuring perfect registration and eliminating the possibility of overthrow. In other respects my improved counter is simple and effective in operation. It comprises a small number of parts which may be easily .assembled and economically manu- It will be understood by those skilled in theV art that the counter of my invention may readily be l used as an odometer or revolution counter or for any other similar purpose and that the reciproeating actuating lever 14 may be omitted and 125 the counter driven directly Yby rotation of the ratchet-Wheel 32 through the sleeve` 26 thereof.

In thelatter casethe plate 50 is removed so as to prevent interference by the spring 54 and stud '72.

The inventiony is capable of wide variation within equivalent limits and I contemplate such variation as; may be desirable or useful in the particular adaptation of the invention jshown, or in its adaptation to other devices. I do not restrict Lmyself in any unessential particulars, but whatl I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a transfer mechanism for'counters, the combination of a shaft, a plurality ofnumeral wheels rotatably mounted thereon, a plurality of cams non-rotatably secured to said shaft, said cams `cooperating with said numeral wheels, one cam lfor each wheel, a oating roller, retaining Y means on said numeral Wheel for said roller, said roller being cooperable with said cam whereby the rise on said cam will place said roller into locking `engagement with the adjacent vnumeral wheel upon effecting a transfer operation, and means to lock all of the numeralwheels except the units 15o numeral wheel against rotation during the intervals between transferring operations. y

2. In a counter, the combination of a shaft, a plurality of numeral wheels rotatably mounted thereon, a plurality of cam members interposed between said numeral wheels and non-rotatably secured to saidshaft, one of said cam members being associatedV with each of said numeral wheels, means vfor effecting a transfer between adjacent wheels, said means comprising an element revolvable about said shaft with one of said numeral wheels and adapted to be forced into locking engagement with an adjacent numeral wheel by contactV with said cam member, a pin longitudinally slidable in each of said cam members, and depressions in the sides of said numeral wheels adapted to receive the ends of said pins, thereby to lock said numeral wheels relative to said cam members between transfer operations.

3. In a counter, the combination of a casing, a shaft normally stationary within said casing, a plurality of numeral wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, each of said numeral Wheels having a recessed right side, said recessed portion having a series of notches in its periphery, an annular flange protruding from the left side of each of said wheels and having an opening therein, a roller radially movable in each of said openings and cooperable with said notches, and a cam associated with each of said rollers and nonrotatably mounted on said shaft, said cam Abeing adapted to force said roller into coupling engagement with one of said notches to effect a transferring operation.

4. In a counter, the combination of a casing, a shaft normallyrstationary within said casing,

Aa plurality of numeral wheels rotatably mounted *on said shaft, each of said numeral Wheels hav- 'ing a recessed right side, said recessed portion having a series of notches in its periphery, a cylindrical flange protruding from the left side yof each of said wheels and having an opening l`therein, a roller radially movable in each of said openings and cooperable with said notches, and a cam associated with each of said rollers and non-rotatably mounted on said shaft, said cam being substantially cylindrical but having at one point an abrupt rise, a short path along the top of said rise and then a curved decline, said decline being on a radius thesame as the aforementioned roller, and said cam being adapted to force said roller into coupling engagement with one of said notches to effect a transferring operation. l

5. In a counter, the combination of a casing, a shaft normally stationary within said casing, a plurality of numeral wheels rotatably mounted on said shaft, each of said numeral wheels having a recessed right side, said recessed portion having a series of arcuate notches in its periphery, a cylindrical flange protruding from the left side of each of said wheels, and having an openingtherein, each opening having one straight side and one arcuate side, a roller radially movable in each of said openings and cooperable with said notches, and a cam associated with each of said rollers and non-rotatably mounted on said shaft in such manner as to cooperate with the roller and the arcuate notches in the right side of the adjacent numeral wheel to provide a means for carrying over said numeral wheel in a transfer operation.

JOHN W. CARLSON. 

